http://www.cycleworx.com/all_about_attitude.htm

I dream all the time too.  I wish I could say discipline and hardwork and determination makes me a good rider but I can't because I don't.  I just have passion but tend to give up too easily but I am a little lucky in my genes.

This was written about Kenneth Tan: During Kenneth's competitive career, he trained six days a week. Most of his time was taken up by training. Riding 5 hours on a weekday was commonplace for a world-class athlete to maintain his condition. This is often done after finishing a full day's work at Shimano, the company he was working for and sponsored by.

I wish I had determination like him, but I don't.

I've been going through some weird moods after Singapore Tri.  Have been eating like nobody's business and am now fat as a pig (you can tell I'm really fat because I can feel it in my legs already which are the thinnest part of my body).  I need to cut down... but lack the mental strength.

Talking about that I realize that I've kinda lost the "edge", where my eyes narrow down and I kinda have that fierce, determined look that keeps people away from me in Spinning class (if you have problems imagining it, think Psycho).  I went to Spin class this morning and felt totally lethargic, kinda like moving in fourth gear from stationary.  In a way, I should probably have shifted into first gear first... but I kinda forgot how.  But I don't have the body and heart to shift into high intensity either.

I struggle to move my HR to 150bpm...

I have not been sleeping well too (pillow problems thus causing neck problems), have stomach problems (aches and lao sai).  Hopefully it's a sign that I am sick and can't be pushing, rather than that I am growing too old for this.  Will see how as I go for another two Spin class this evening.

This and next week is a good time to meet up with people.  So if any Xangarian wanna meet up, this is my schedule:

Wed eve: Spin class (6.30-7.15/7.40-8.25pm)
Thu eve: V.Marathon briefing @ Raffles Place Convention Centre (6.30pm).  Dinner with Joyce.
Fri eve: nothing planned
Sat: morning cycle.  nothing planned for afternoon; most likely go bike shop.
Sun: V.Marathon @ Swissotel (morning).  Buffet high tea with Joyce and gang (afternoon)
Mon: Spin class (6.30-7.15/7.40-8.25pm)
Tue (public holiday): Cycling?
Wed: can't think that far...

Through Bintan, to Batam by fast ferry, lots of big breakfasts, exciting lookouts for waiters while we da-bao bread into black plastic bag to smuggle out (not helped by Joyce waving enthusiatically trying to distract - but instead attracting them), sharing of experiences, me learning swimming from KK and Mac, one experience with crosswind blowing us (Joyce and me) across the road, another both of us descended around the same corner too fast (on separate occasions) and ending up on the other side of the road; thank goodness no head-on vehicles, learning that Esther is considered "safe driver" on the buggy after experiences with KK and Christopher turning corners at 40kmh, and other stuff.  It was good, and we covered 110km in our trip to Batam.  Massage and lazing around on the second day.  Chess game with huge pieces.

Yeah, it was a good weekend.

On half day... leaving for Bintan this evening.  Won't be back till Sun.  Still tired, so cancelled riding with Joyce this morning (also slept late, and with a bit of stomach problems and muscles tight also).

Chatted with Dylan this morning at Spinning class.  He congratulated me on my bike timing and I congratulated him on his.  I think we're warmer to each other now.  Anyway he's training for Phuket Tri and after that going to end his racing year (not going for NTU race).  Says he's been racing since Mar and will need a break.

Yeah, I do too (need a break).   If not heart may give way anytime - pushing 95% HR most of the time can't be too good for the heart.

But not before I hit my goal - 1hr 29mins for Putrajaya
(after that I will retire for good).

Selene came back to teach this morning.  Apparently Dean has some kinda ear operation.  Way cool.  Can hear the enthusiasm in the people already.  Music is also dem cool.  Nobody chooses music like she does, and she has almost all new songs (to Spinning classes), and also ability to motivate without trying (either that or it's me, but I'm running 170bpm heart rate without even breathing hard, giving her thumbs up).

I think if I had her motivating me on Sun, I could have gone a min or two faster.

Results of the tri is also out.  I'm pretty happy with it.

Hmm... dunno.  A bit disappointed by bike timing.  Dunno why, it's just one min over what I thought I did, but I thought I might have done better than what I thought I did.  But I didn't.  Oh well.  I should be happy.  We were first.  But only one trophy.  Duh.

Dunno what to say.  Prizes were New Balance bags.  Had no use for them so all given away already.  Cert only has timing, no position so basically it was just a nice cycling.  Okay la, on thinking back, this was the best cycling I did (or so I thought) and I felt really good about it at first but actually I think I'm stagnant, if not declining in my timing.  Heck, I felt like shit after the Individual Time Trial in June but my timing not that different from then.  Don't know why also.  Maybe distance was longer today and shorter then.  I was definitely running higher averages today and was happy with the higher gears I was pushing.

Oh well.  Another chapter of my life done with.  I'm a winner... but don't feel like it.

Went to watch the kids tri at East Coast on Sat and met up with the group of Joyce and family.  There just in time to see Jasmine going out on her pink bike.

Spinning class at 11am.  Two short hard pull, then a lot of recovery.  This turns out to be quite a good pre-race strategy and I will probably stick with it.

Sun's race was with plenty of loading and was really good.  I felt good, I pushed hard, no puncture.  It was the perfect race, even better than Desaru.  No cramps also.  Everything was just right.  I overloaded on the water though, with my huge bottle of water untouched and the smaller bottle with a bit left.  Not that it mattered on the flat course.  I didn't like the bike tag flapping around on the bike when riding though and later saw the Elite guys putting it on the back seat tube, which is how I like it too.  Oh well.  Can't complain too much.

Going for the dinner this event evening.  Just finished watching Superman on tv.  Results not out yet as I came back with Hairul and Joyce but hopefully we got first, although it's possible we were second.

This evening going for actual briefing for the tri while last evening met up with the guys from Synergy Multisport, the company which is sponsoring us.  Kinda scary considering that my swimmer is a national swimmer and runner is training for Sea Games and I'm err... slacker/poser.

Three mornings of Spinning class.  Resting from now till race day, with a short warmup on Sat morning.  Gotta collect my cleats from Trek3 by Sat too.

Almost wanted to watch Matrix Revolution last evening when I passed Bishan at 10pm but in the end went home.  I'm thoroughly addicted to Diamond Mines Palm game now so I'm going to return the Palms back.

I scanned in the Bintan pictures already. http://community.webshots.com/album/98484693maGgGI

I went on a movie marathon yesterday.  Starting at 4pm, I watched Gasaraki, a Japanese Animation about some supernatural cum robots cum social degeneration of the Japanese society cum x-files power-corrupts-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely cum ... ok - it basically has almost everything mixed into one movie but it's still robot fighting movie (I think). And stopped after the first DVD containing 7 episodes of the series, went for dinner at 8.30pm at the Roti Prata "From Casuarina Rd" opposite Cycleworx where I took rice with one superhuge fried chicken and a Milo Dinosaur, went back and realize the second DVD is not working, so I skipped to the third DVD, and finished watching that at 1.30am and realize that was the ending because the 4th DVD is just music.

Never felt like this since my days of playing Quake3 for 12 continuous hours.